The Wayne County Land Trust was established in 2025 with a clear purpose: to preserve and revitalize the properties that make downtown Richmond and the Depot worth caring about. But a mission is only as strong as the people behind it. The Land Trust is led by a dedicated group of board members, advisory committee members, and staff who bring a shared belief in what this community can become. Here’s a closer look at the team stewarding that vision.
Board Members
The Wayne County Land Trust board wasn’t assembled by accident; it was assembled with intention. Members come from backgrounds in local banking and finance, investment, real estate law, mixed-use development, historic preservation, property management, community engagement, and more, bringing a well-rounded perspective to the work of preserving and revitalizing downtown Richmond.
When the task at hand is preserving and revitalizing the heart of a community, you need more than good intentions; you need people who understand land from every angle. So, we brought together bankers who know how capital moves, attorneys who understand the legal architecture of property, developers who’ve turned vacant corners into vibrant places, historians who know what’s worth saving and why, and community voices who hold the pulse of Richmond’s people.
This isn’t a board that reads reports about downtown; they walk its streets, run its businesses, and raise their families in its neighborhoods. That living, breathing connection to this place is exactly what makes their stewardship trustworthy, their vision credible, and their commitment unshakeable.
Brett Guiley is Managing Partner of Vista Investment Partners and CEO of Orange Horizon Wealth and represents the investment industry in Wayne County. He serves as Chair of the Wayne County Land Trust and is a member of the Wayne County Foundation Board of Directors. A certified financial planner, Guiley brings more than 26 years of expertise in portfolio management and market investments.
Paul Witte is President of First Bank Richmond and a representative voice for the financial industry in Wayne County. He serves as the Treasurer for the Wayne County Land Trust. He brings deep expertise in financing, capital stacking, local market dynamics, and industry standards. Witte also serves as President of the Wayne County Foundation Board of Directors.
Robin Henry is retired from 3Rivers Federal Credit Union and brings a strong background in customer relations, contract negotiations, facilities management, and local community engagement. She serves as Secretary of the Wayne County Land Trust and is a member of the Wayne County Foundation Board of Directors. Henry offers valuable insight and leadership grounded in her years of service and community involvement.
David Jetmore is a Board Certified Otolaryngologist and an active member of the Wayne County Land Trust. He brings expertise in historic renovations, preservation, and mixed-use development, with a strong commitment to revitalizing local neighborhoods. Jetmore is also co-founder of Richmond Neighborhood Restoration, advancing community-focused restoration efforts.
Jesse Merk is a partner at Merk Investments and an active member of the Wayne County Land Trust. He brings expertise in real estate law, mixed-use development, leasing, and property management. Merk contributes a strong understanding of land use and real estate strategy to community-focused initiatives.
Advisory Committee
If the board provides the strategic framework, the advisory committee provides the street-level truth. Advisors help the Land Trust stay connected to the community it serves. These are the people who swing hammers in historic homes, unlock storefronts on Monday mornings, navigate the maze of state and federal tax credits, and sit across the table from banks to make deals work for real communities. They don’t theorize about revitalization; they live it every day.
The advisory committee exists to make sure the Wayne County Land Trust never loses sight of what’s actually happening on the ground, keeping its decisions rooted in the realities of construction timelines, small business grit, and the kind of economic development that actually moves the needle for everyday people in Wayne County.
Matty Ledgerwood is the owner of Ledgerwood Home Restoration and serves as an advisory member of the Wayne County Land Trust. He brings expertise in construction, project management, and real estate management. A master craftsman, Ledgerwood is known for quality workmanship and thoughtful restoration.
Sharon Ontko is a local downtown building owner and represents the voice of the downtown business community. She serves as an advisory member of the Wayne County Land Trust and is an active community leader. Ontko brings expertise in entrepreneurship and nonprofit startup, supporting initiatives that strengthen local development.
Valerie Shaffer is President of the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County and serves as an advisory member of the Wayne County Land Trust. She brings expertise in economic development, housing projects, business development and retention, and state and federal tax credits. Shaffer plays a key role in advancing strategic growth and investment across the county. She is a former board member of the Wayne County Foundation Board of Directors.
David Stidham is retired from U.S. Bank and represents the Economic Growth Group. He serves as an advisory member of the Wayne County Land Trust. Stidham brings expertise in banking, main street development, and local economic growth initiatives.
Staff
The Wayne County Land Trust is supported by a small but mighty team of dedicated staff that manages the day-to-day work of the organization. Wayne County Foundation Executive Director Rebecca Gilliam leads the Land Trust’s overall strategy and operations, bringing organizational leadership and a deep commitment to Wayne County’s philanthropic and community development ecosystem. Forward Wayne County Director Acacia St. John bridges the work of the Land Trust with the broader community development mission of Forward Wayne County and the Wayne County Foundation, ensuring alignment across all organizations. Property Manager Addyson Johnson oversees the Land Trust’s growing property portfolio, keeping operations running smoothly across its downtown Richmond and Depot holdings.
Rebecca Gilliam
Acacia St. John
Addyson Johnson
The Wayne County Land Trust is more than an organization, it’s a public declaration that this community believes in itself. Every board member who walks Richmond’s streets, every advisor who has swung a hammer or opened a storefront downtown, every staff member who shows up every day to manage the details and drive the vision are all making the same bet: that downtown Richmond and the Depot are worth fighting for.
The buildings they preserve and the properties they revitalize aren’t just bricks and mortar; they are the physical expression of a community’s identity, its memory, and its future. Wayne County has always had the bones. Now it has the team to bring them back to life.
